1978 280z black pearl?

[cruisingz]

does anyone know how to identity if i stumbled into a 1978 280z black pearl edition? most of the original paint is gone, i could barely see a little bit at the buttom that lookslike black pearl. it has a pair of racing side view mirrors, and the key sets are different, i have never seen original datsun keys that looked like these, the background on the keys have a black finish? i'll post the vin number next post....thanx....john

[2ManyZs]

The VIN number won't tell anything.

The only way to confirm the original paint if the paint code sticker is not on the top of the radiator support would be to look in the interior. Look under the dash on the firewall and see what the original color was, or under the seats, carpet etc...

IIRC the paint code for the Black Pearls was 638 if part of the paint code sticker is still visible.

[Bambikiller240]

This subject has been discussed previously and the thread should be easy to find by doing a search on "Black Pearl". There is also a write up at www.ZHome.com discussing the Black Pearl Edition cars. BTW, some of the 280Z's that were painted in Black Pearl paint were not actual Black Pearl Edition Z Cars. In other words, paint only, does not make the car a Black Pearl Edition. Since the Black Pearl Edition was an "appearance package", and did not include any special mechanical or "go fast" parts, if these appearance items (paint, decals, etc) are gone, it is virtually impossible to determine if a car was in fact an original Black Pearl Edition. See the write up at ZHome, or our recent thread for more specific details.

[MikeZcar]

I have a question about the above post, anyone verify this? I have read everything I can find about the Black Pearl and it seems to me ANY 1978 model 280Z that is factory black #938 is indeed a Black Pearl regardless of the other SAP(Sport Appearance Package) pieces that were added. I believe that the dealers added as little or as much of the SAP(and other non SAP items) as they believed they could sell. Any Thoughts? Mike

[Guncarver]

i own one so am familiar with it

http://www2.zhome.com:81/History/BlackP.htm

[Carl Beck]

Hi Mike:

You are correct. The Black Pearl Edition 280Z - was a limited edition of units painted with the Black Pearl Metallic Paint and for which there was a $90.00 charge on the Window Sticker. The SAP was an extra cost option, over and above the cost of buying the Black Pearl. The SAP option was only available on the Black Pearl edition. Nonetheless one could have purchased a Black Pearl without the SAP.... or with it.

FWIW,

Carl B.

[Arne]

Thread was dead for over 3 years when Guncarver posted to it. MikeZcar hasn't visited the site in more than 6 months.

[Carl Beck]

Yes but you still read it....

Carl B.

[26th-Z]

So...clear this up for me, please. The BP came with or without the SAP. Does that include the stripe or not? Did the stripe come optionally? Now what about the '77 280 Z Zzap? Did it come only with the stripe and SAP? Otherwise it's just a yellow 280 Z, or is the yellow a specific color to the ZZap? Paint code 411

Edited April 30, 2009 by 26th-Z
to try and word things more complicatedly

[sblake01]

Careful with that or we might have sit through the explaination again.....

[26th-Z]

Well then, point me to the explanation in the archives. I'll be damned if I can find it. All I find are pictures of incorrect Zzaps - Zzaps with painted valve covers, Zzaps with G-noses, Zzaps with the wrong wheels, etc. And the deal is that for the last couple of years I have seen / judged 280Zs with nothing more than the paint in the stock class. Now, Carl contends that the Black Pearl could be purchased without the stripes, mirrors, louvers, etc. However, every piece of Datsun literature I can find describes the Zzap as including all this stuff. Then Carl says; "The SAP option was only available on the Black Pearl edition." So if the Zzap yellow 411 could be purchased without the SAP, I want to point out to Carl that he is wrong once again and that he owes me $1,000;)

Edited April 30, 2009 by 26th-Z
Speeling

[geezer]

We haven't heard from ZDemon in a year and a half now, who was researching the Zzaps for his own restoration.

Chris, the ad in this thread I've linked to in post #2 seems to support the theory that the Zzap was available without at least the side stripe portion of the SAP (seems to be missing the passenger side mirror too). It would seem logical that any dealer applied "Appearance Package" could be completed to the customers preference, therefore possibly omiting the stripes. There are a few pics of a Zzap in the "zcar" link in post #2 also.

I enjoy revisiting these threads and learning more about the Black Pearl & Zzap as much as you do. You may have missed this thread?

http://www.classiczcars.com/forums/showthread.php?t=32196&highlight=stripe+paint

Edited May 1, 2009 by geezer